Encouragement for the Journey
For those of you working your way through the God. Gifts. You.: Your Unique Calling and Design Six-Week Study, this post is meant as both encouragement and exhortation. I hope, in whatever craziness your life/schedule holds, that you continue to make time to make your way through the workbook. It often helps to find others to join you on the journey—twos, threes, or small groups work great!
As you explore the concepts of calling and purpose and gifts, I’m praying that the Lord would empower you, by His Spirit, to be a faithful steward of His grace to those around you.
The concepts (practices and character traits?) of love, unity, and service show up in every place in Scripture that we see a discussion of spiritual gifts and their use. Praying that these things (love, unity, service) make us inexplicably attractive to those around us.
I pray that the Lord would help you to embrace the way that He has made you—intentionally, on purpose—with your own set of spiritual gifts, talents, preferences for relating and engaging, abilities, life experiences, etc. May the Lord make clear, in this season, where He is nudging your heart—where you care most deeply, are willing to make a commitment, and find yourself inspired or motivated.
May the Holy Spirit enable you to live into your distinctive character and unique personal style as you simultaneously find your real identity in Jesus day-by-day. May He help you find your fit not only in the church—His Body--but also in your place of work, volunteering, mentoring, neighborhood, family, etc. And, may you step into your calling, fully, with both feet, knowing that God goes ahead of you, with you, and behind you, taking care of both the gifting, the doing, and the results! Remember (as Week Five, Day Four says near the bottom of page 135), “We see young and old, women and men, spiritual babes and the more mature, children and adults, with training and without training, all used of God.”
May you know and rely on the LOVE God has for you and depend on Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit—Who will enable you to love others deeply and in practical, life-giving ways.
Additional Resources:
• Downloadable Resources--See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been Equipping Ministries Director at her church since 1999.
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